Soap holder



Feb. 4, 1958- P. L. slMMoNs 2,821,807

` soAP HOLDER Filed Aug. 30. 1956 /n ver: fr.'

P011/` @simmons United States Patent() SOAP HOLDER Paul L. Simmons, Ogden, Utah Application August 30, 1956, Serial No. 607,241

8 Claims. (Cl- 45-28) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in soap holders, and the principal object of the invention is to facilitate convenient storage of -bar soap when not in use, so that it does not lie on sinks or wash basins and thereby detract fr-om a neat appearance of the wash room.

` The above object is attained by the provision of a soap holder embodying a housing of a pleasant style or design, wherein the soap bar may be stored, an important feature of the invention residing in the provision of means in the housing for supporting the soap bar and collecting moisture and dissolved material therefrom, so that such moisture and dissolved material is hidden from view.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a soap rest within the housing as aforesaid, which supports a soap bar in an elevated position so that air may circulate around the same to facilitate rapid drying and permit drainage of moisture and dissolved material therefrom.

Another important feature of the invention involves the provision of a soap entrance at the top and a soap discharge or exit opening at the front of the housing, together with novel means for discharging the soap bar through the exit opening, so that the soap bar may be quickly and` easily inserted in the housing and removed therefrom with equal expediency.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a hinged lid on the entrance of the housing, which lid is operatively connected to the soap bar supporting and discharging means so that when a bar of soap is inserted in the housing the lid is automatically closed, and when the soap bar is discharged from the housing the lid is automatically opened, in readiness for again inserting the soap through the entrance of the housing for storage purposes.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the invention not only fulfills its primary purpose of providing convenient storage of a soap bar out of sight and eliminating the objectionable residue usually left by a w-et soap bar on sinks, or the like, but the invention also will save a substantial amount of work which was conventionally necessary in cleaning such residue and, by facilitating quick and efficient drying of the soap bar, the use of the invention results in substantial saving of the soap itself.

Some of the advantages of the4 invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its pleasing appearance, in its efficient operation, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the foregoing more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent 'as this specification proceeds, the invention resides in the arrangement of parts and details of construction substantially as shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts and wherein:

Figure 1 i'sv a vertical sectional view of the invention, this being takensubstantially in the plane of the line 1--1 j 2,821,807 Patented Feb. 4, 1958` `ice 2 in Figure 3 and showing the soap rest in its supporting position and the lid of the housing closed;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, similar to that shown in Figure 1, but illustra-ting the soap rest in its discharging position and the lid of the housing open;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view in fragmentary form, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure l;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 4-4 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 5-5 in Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 6 6 in Figure 3.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the soap holder constructed in accordance with the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and embodies in its construction ya substantially boxshaped housing 11 which may be formed from metal, resinous plastic, or any other suitable material. The hous-A ing 11 is provided at the top thereof with a soap entrance 12 and includes a front Wall 13 which is provided with a soap exit opening 14 'located intermediate the top and bottom of the housing.

Closely spaced from one of the side or end walls of the housing is a vertical partition 15 which coacts with the adjacent side `or end wall of the housing in forming ,a relatively narrow compartment 16 at that side or end of the housing, as is best shown in Figure 3. The main chamber of the housing is relatively wide and large, as illustrata ed, and it may be noted at this point that while the entrance 12 extends the full width of the housing, including that housing portion which is occupied by the compartment 16, the exit opening 14 is co-extensive only with the main chamber of the housing so that it does not communicate with the compartment 16.

Positioned under the entrance 12 in the housing is a soap rest designated generally by the numeral 17, the

same comprising a curved plate 18 having a plurality of mutually spaced, parallel and upstanding ribs 19 secured thereto or otherwise provided thereon. The ribs 19 extend forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the housing and are adapted to support at their upper edges a bar of soap 2t) in an elevated position so that air may circulate freely around the same to facilitate rapid drying. Mor-cover, moisture, dissolved soap or other residue may freely drop from the soap onto the plate 18 and the latter is provi-ded with a plurality of drain openings or apertures 21 through which such material may gravitate to the bottom of the housing. For this purpose, the bottom of the 'housing is in the form of a removable pan or tray 22.

on which the moisture and other residue may accumulate. Thepan or tray 22 is removably fastened to the housing in any conven tional manner, so that it may be periodically removed for purposes of cleaning.

The soap rest 17 is mounted for swinging movement on a horizontal axis by means of a shaft or rod 23 which extends transversely in the housing adjacent the back Wall thereof and is mounted in the partition 15 at one end and in the opposite end wall of the housing at the other. The rear edge portion of the soap rest plate 18 is wrapped around the shaft 23 so as to form a tubular bearing mounted rotatably on the shaft to facilitate the aforementioned swinging of the soap rest. The tubular bearing mount of the plate 18 is indicated at 24 and it will be observed that the same is interrupted so as to accommodate suitable helical torsion springs 25 which are also positioned on the shaft 23 in longitudinal spaced relation.

The soap rest 17 is swingable from a soap supporting position shown in Figure l wherein it is substantially at the level of the upper edge of the exit opening 14, to an inclined, soap discharging position shown in Figure 2 wherein it is substantially at the level of the lower edge of the exit opening. Each of the springs 25 has one end 25a bearing against the back wall of the housing and the other end 25h bearing against the underside of the plate 18, the springs 25 being wound in such manner as to urge the soap rest 17 upwardly, that is, to its supporting position.

When the soap rest is in its supporting position as shown in Figures l and 4, the upper edges of the ribs 19 are slanted downwardly and forwardly, whereby the soap bar 20 is urged to slide forwardly against the front wall of the housing. The front wall 13 is preferably provided with a convex inner surface portion 26 so as to guide the soap bar in place upon insertion thereof through the en trance 12 and assure that the soap bar rests flatly on the supporting ribs 19.

The entrance 12 of the housing is equipped with a cover or lid 27 mounted upon a hinge rod 28 extending transversely of the housing adjacent the back wall of the latter, the lid 27 having at its rear edge a tubular bearing member 29 for mounting on the rod. The lid is shown in its open position in Figure 2 wherein it will be noted that the lid is somewhat beyond the perpendicular and rests against a stop 30 formed by an upward extension of the back wall of the housing. A soap engaging member in the form of a flat plate 31 is secured to the tubular bearing 29 of the lid 27 for movement therewith, the plate 31 and the lid 27 being disposed substantially at 90 to each other so that when the lid is open, the plate 31 extends over the housing entrance 12. Consequently, when the soap bar is inserted in the housing through the entrance, it comes in contact with the member 31, exerts downward pressure thereon and automaatically swings the lid 27 to its closed position while the soap bar comes to rest on the ribs 19 of the rest unit 17, as illustrated in Figure 4.

It is to be noted that the soap rest 17 is equipped with a nger-piece 32 which is constituted by a forward extension of the rest plate 18. The finger-piece 32 projects through the exit opening 14 from the housing and is provided at its front edge with a depending panel 33. The finger-piece and the panel 33 extend over the full width of the exit opening and, when the soap rest is in its supporting position as shown in Figure l, the panel 33 affords a closure for the exit opening. The soap rest may be swung downwardly by exerting pressure on the inger-piece 32, in which event the panel 33 recedes into the bottom portion of the housing as shown in Figure 2 and the exit opening is unobstructed. As the soap rest 17 is moved to the discharging position shown in Figure 2, the inclination ot the ribs 19 is such that the soap bar slides therefrom and emerges from the housing through the exit opening 14, so that it may be easily caught in the hand.

Means are provided for operatively connecting the soap rest 17 to the entrance lid 27 whereby the lid is automatically opened when the soap rest is moved to its discharging position, and whereby the soap rest is autom-atically moved to its supporting position when the lid is closed. These means comprise linkage which is contained in the aforementioned compartment 16 and includes a link 34 attached at one end thereof by a pivot pin 35 to the soap rest and pivoted at its other end as shown at 36 to a second link 37 which, in turn, has a free end 37' in engagement with the underside of the lid 27. The pivot pin 35 extends through an arcuate slot 38 formed in the partition 15 and is secured to the rib 19 at the adjacent end of the soap rest 17, the curvature ofy the slot 38 being concentric with the shaft 23 so that the pin 35 may travel in the slot when the soap rest is raised or lowered. Stop and guide pins 39, 40, 41 and 42 are provided for the links 34, 37, these pinsv being located on the partition 15 as shownv so that the pins 39, 40 abut opposite side edges of the link 34 and the pins 41, 42 similarly abut opposite side edges of the link 37 when the soap rest is in its supporting position shown in Figure l. When the soap rest is in its discharging position as shown in Figure 2, the pin 40 abuts the link 34 at one side edge while the pin 41 abuts the link 37 at the relatively opposite side edge, the two links being in substantial longitudinal alignment.

With reference to Figure 2, it will be noted that when the lid 27 is closed by the engagement of the soap bar with the member 31, the links 37, 34V will buckle at the pivot 36 and willl fold to the position shown in Figure l, thus automatically swinging the soap rest 17 to its supporting position. On the other hand, when the soap rest is swung to its discharging position by downward pressure on the finger-piece 32, the links 34, 37 will fulcrum about the pins 40, 41, respectively, and will become extended so that the free end 37 of the link 37 will' push the lid 27 to its open position and, at the same time, extend the member 31 over the entrance 12. When the mechanism is in this position, the pins 39 and 42 are out of contact with the links, as illustrated.

When the invention is placed in use, a bar of soap may be inserted in the housing through the entrance 12, during which action the soap cornes in engagement with the member 31 and the lid is closed while the rest 17 is automatically raised to support the deposited soap. Upon depression of the finger-piece 32, the rest 17 is lowered, the soap discharged through the exit opening 14, and the lid 27 is automatically opened in readiness for re-deposit of the soap in the next cycle of operation. In this manner, the procedure of inserting and removing the soap from the housing is extremely simple and convenient and, as such, may be accomplished' with the use of only one hand.

Itis to befnoted that by providing the compartment' 16, the linkage is kept out of possible contact with the soap which, upon its deposit into the housing, is moist and the moisture or other residue thereon could interfere with proper operation of the links if contact of thel soap therewith were permitted.

It will be also understood that although the invention is primarily intended for use as a soap holder, it may be employed with equal efectiveness for any solid, generally block-shaped material which is to be storedV temporarily and rendered instantly available for use.

While in the foregoing there has been disclosed the preferred embodiment of the invention, various modifi cations may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure, and various modifications may .be resorted to, suchA as may lie within the spirit and scope of the appended'A claims.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A- soap holder comprisingy a housing having a soap entrance at the top and a soap exit opening at the front thereof, a soap rest mounted in said housingunder said entrance for swinging on-a horizontal. axis from. a supporting position substantially at the top edge of said exit opening to an inclined discharging position substantially at the bottom edge of the exit opening, a hinged lid'provided at the entrance of said housing, and means operatively connecting said lid to said soap rest, whereby the lid is opened when the soap rest is swung to its'discharging position.

2. A soap holder comprising a housing having a soap entrance at the top and a soap exit opening atv the fronty thereof, a soap rest mounted in said housing under said entrance for swinging on a horizontal axis froml a supporting position .substantially at they topedge of said exit opening to an inclined discharging position substantially at the bottom edge of the exit opening, ar` hinged lid'pro vided at the entrance of said housing, a soap engaging member provided on said lid and extending over said entrance when the lid is open, and means operatively connecting said lid to said soap rest, whereby the lid is opened when the soap rest is swung to its discharging position and whereby the soap rest is swung to its supporting position when the lid is closed by engagement of a soap bar with said member.

3. A soap holder comprising a housing having a soap entrance at the top and a soap exit opening at the front thereof, a soap rest mounted in said housing under said entrance for swinging on a horizontal axis from a supporting position substantially at the top edge of said exit opening to an inclined discharging position substantially at the bottom edge of the exit opening, a hinged lid provided at the entrance of said housing, a linger-piece provided on said soap rest and projecting through the exit opening from said housing whereby the soap rest may be swung to its discharging position, and linkage operatively connecting said soap rest to said lid, whereby the lid is opened when the soap rest is swung to its discharging position.

4. The device as defined in claim 3 together with a soap engaging member provided on and movable with said lid, said member extending over said entrance when the lid is open, whereby said soap rest is swung to its supporting position when the lid is closed by engagement of a soap bar with said member.

5. The device as defined in claim 3 together with resilient means for urging said soap rest to its supporting position.

6. The device as dened in claim 3 together with a depending panel provided on said finger-piece, said panel constituting a closure for said exit opening when the soap rest is in its supporting position.

7. The device as deined in claim 3 wherein said linkage comprises a rst link pivoted to said soap rest, a second link pivoted to the rst link and having a free end in engagement with said lid, and a set of spaced pins provided in said housing at opposite sides of the first and second links for guiding and stopping the movement thereof.

8. The device as defined in claim 3 wherein the front wall of said housing above said soap rest is provided with a convex inner surface.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 651,324 Doremus .Tune 5, 1900 1,151,064 Swift Aug. 24, 1915 1,896,430 Stanawitz Feb. 7, 1933 2,184,805 Plack Dec. 26, 1939 2,359,797 Schnider Oct. 10, 1944 

